I reckoned this might be of some use to someone on here, systems been running about 2 years last year watering 80ish ewes and lambs from a well at an out farm 12 miles from home and the year before it was watering 60 diary cows pumping from a stream for a day grazing every round really just to test it worked.
The solar water pump set up i built I used this pump;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...084WW48G1?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) I done a lot of homework couldn’t find anything right up to big money that wasn’t similar gamble quality made in China, it has 25mm hose barbs so I’ve 10m of 25mm hard walled water pipe attached to it,
Front that I’ve 25mm hose bards with a threaded end which screws into a check valve (that way there’s no pressure pushing back onto the water pump of lift hose) from there I have a 20L pressure vessel T’d into the line,(this holds some pressure so the pump won’t have to start and stop every time something drinks) you can tweek the start and stop pressure using a spanner because it’s only 12v you only have to run the positive wire through the switch.
Alternatively when lifting from a stream a sureflo pump, the type you find on a 12v sprayer, I didnt use one of these after seeing someone on another forum who'd issues with these burning out on a professionally built system.
(picture of how ive joined the non return valve, pressure vessel and pressure switch into the system, excuse wire mess I took the picture when i was figuring out the system)
On the line I then have one of these pressure switches;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G9UOARE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G9UOARE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details)
I then put it back into alkathene with an inline a pressure gauge (off an old quad sprayer but they're cheap on eBay or Amazon) although this would be in the plastic pipe connections if I’d remembered on time,
from there it’s a gate valve and onto drinkers with normal float valves.
(picture of how ive joined the non return valve, pressure vessel and pressure switch into the system, excuse wire mess I took the picture when i was figuring out the system)
For power I’m using a 330 watt solar panel and a Bluetooth connected charge controller feeding into a deep cycle 12v battery (the bluetooth wasn't essential but it makes checking the pannel is working and batter voltage without having to open up and check) the brand of charge controler I used was Victron and they’re probably the top brand for that so it shouldnt let me down, pannel might be a bit big but I was just going a bit bigger than the systems this size you can go out and buy to be on the safe side, this would be the closest similar kit for sale at the minute https://batterygroup.co.uk/kits-bun...JK6AVRqYgvdmUnYXjstHl_Q8zNY1icsMaAj7MEALw_wcB (https://batterygroup.co.uk/kits-bun...qYgvdmUnYXjstHl_Q8zNY1icsMaAj7MEALw_wcB)going again I would consider buying a residental pannel (they seem to be slightly better value for money for the wattage) and again a victron charge controller if it worked out cheaper,
I've the system contained in an IBC cut in half and hinged, and mounted the pannel mounted on top and a layer of gravel to keep it in place and a small strap to keep it closed, hoping to run a 12V energiser off the battery to once
this is just the system i came up with after a year of reseaching and reading on various farming forums and the marketing information from the couple of companies selling solar water pumps for watering stock,
The solar water pump set up i built I used this pump;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...084WW48G1?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) I done a lot of homework couldn’t find anything right up to big money that wasn’t similar gamble quality made in China, it has 25mm hose barbs so I’ve 10m of 25mm hard walled water pipe attached to it,
Front that I’ve 25mm hose bards with a threaded end which screws into a check valve (that way there’s no pressure pushing back onto the water pump of lift hose) from there I have a 20L pressure vessel T’d into the line,(this holds some pressure so the pump won’t have to start and stop every time something drinks) you can tweek the start and stop pressure using a spanner because it’s only 12v you only have to run the positive wire through the switch.
Alternatively when lifting from a stream a sureflo pump, the type you find on a 12v sprayer, I didnt use one of these after seeing someone on another forum who'd issues with these burning out on a professionally built system.
(picture of how ive joined the non return valve, pressure vessel and pressure switch into the system, excuse wire mess I took the picture when i was figuring out the system)
On the line I then have one of these pressure switches;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G9UOARE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G9UOARE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details)
I then put it back into alkathene with an inline a pressure gauge (off an old quad sprayer but they're cheap on eBay or Amazon) although this would be in the plastic pipe connections if I’d remembered on time,
from there it’s a gate valve and onto drinkers with normal float valves.
(picture of how ive joined the non return valve, pressure vessel and pressure switch into the system, excuse wire mess I took the picture when i was figuring out the system)
For power I’m using a 330 watt solar panel and a Bluetooth connected charge controller feeding into a deep cycle 12v battery (the bluetooth wasn't essential but it makes checking the pannel is working and batter voltage without having to open up and check) the brand of charge controler I used was Victron and they’re probably the top brand for that so it shouldnt let me down, pannel might be a bit big but I was just going a bit bigger than the systems this size you can go out and buy to be on the safe side, this would be the closest similar kit for sale at the minute https://batterygroup.co.uk/kits-bun...JK6AVRqYgvdmUnYXjstHl_Q8zNY1icsMaAj7MEALw_wcB (https://batterygroup.co.uk/kits-bun...qYgvdmUnYXjstHl_Q8zNY1icsMaAj7MEALw_wcB)going again I would consider buying a residental pannel (they seem to be slightly better value for money for the wattage) and again a victron charge controller if it worked out cheaper,
I've the system contained in an IBC cut in half and hinged, and mounted the pannel mounted on top and a layer of gravel to keep it in place and a small strap to keep it closed, hoping to run a 12V energiser off the battery to once
this is just the system i came up with after a year of reseaching and reading on various farming forums and the marketing information from the couple of companies selling solar water pumps for watering stock,